U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,099 issued to Merkl first explained that water soluable multi-metal inorganic complexes can be used to remove sulfur dioxide from effluent gas streams. Subsequently, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,263 issued to McCoy explained a more elaborate method of preparing inorganic polymetric water complexes for a variety of uses, including removal of organic material from soil (in particular clay), but provides no theory on concentrations or how to accomplish this efficiently. Rather, McCoy raises the possibility of hydrocarbon removal from soil, but leaves it to future inventors to develop the process.
Czarnekia, et al. propose in “On the nature of Athabasca Oil Sands” (2005) notes that it is theoretically possible to remove bitumen (a heavy form of oil) from inorganic solids due to the chemistry of the substances, but offers no theory on how to accomplish this. Similarly, Bunger in “Compound types and proper ties of Utah and Athabasca tar sand bitumens,” notes that naturally occurring alcohols can remove some hydrocarbons from sand, but offers no theory on how using a sodium silicate solution to do this might work.